It was quiet for around a month. No future attacks can be felt. Yet the strain in the atmosphere can't be hidden.
After being able to hold up the first attack, they now knew how strong the enemies were. The troopers and pilots are very worried. What if they cannot hold the fort?
Tiara had thoughts about who the culprit was, but since she didn't catch him red-handed, she didn't report it to Tomo. What if she were wrong? It would mean ruining his trust in her judgment, and it would mean accusing someone without any concrete proof.
So, Tiara tried hard to read Jun's mind. It seems he had a barrier or there is something or someone to help him block those who wanted to read his mind.
That's when Tiara decided to fully put her trust in Tomo to keep track of Jun.
"I know he's been communicating with someone. I know it's connected with the attack, but I have no proof. It would be just his words against mine," she explained.
"I can keep a watch to know what he's up to. I'm sorry I didn't support you more as I should have, but I have my hands full, and I think, for me, time is limited because as you said, they will be back for the 2nd attack."
Knowing that Tiara's sense is always right, Tomo agreed to spy on Jun.
"You are right. If we knew for sure who the traitor was, we can take steps to avoid the communication. I just hope we're not too late."
Starting from that time on, Tomo stand guard, watching every step, but Jun didn't make any contact.
Tomo decided to discreetly enter Jun's house and planted a camera device that could not be tracked by Jun. He went in himself, while his trusted assistant Dave and Tiara continued to spy on Jun.
They succeeded, and now it became a 24/7 guard watch. Tomo and his team, went on shift to watch Jun's every single move.
It was after a week when Dave was on guard, he saw Jun communicating with someone from the outside, using the blue ball.
"Tomo, Tiara's suspicion was right. It was Jun. I saw it myself. You and Tiara better come here. Hurry up."
In minutes, both arrived. Dave locked the room so no one could enter.
"Who could he be talking to?" Tomo and Dave asked at the same time.
"I cannot see the person. He blocked the vision. He could be talking to the person I saw on the vessel. The leader was the one that tried to shoot Ryoma."
Both looked sharply at Tiara.
Tiara knew she couldn't hide the truth anymore. And she hated having to lie to Tomo and Dave. She also knew that they know that Tiara was the missing link in the former attack. So she decided to spill everything.
"So you can stop time, and you saved Ryoma?"
"Yes. Sorry for not telling you."
"Don't you trust me enough to tell me?"A disappointed tone could be heard in Tomo's voice. Tiara knew and can feel the deep disappointment Tomo had for her, "At that time, I was still confused about my new ability. I was in shock myself. I never knew that I could stop time, and the time to tell you about it was just not right."
She knew her explanations sounded lame, so Tiara felt that she had lost his trust. She really regretted not telling him.
Preparing oneself
The same evening, Tiara saw Tomo hurriedly walking towards Jun. There was a heated argument where Tomo asked Jun to give the ball back but Tiara did not see what happened next, as the sirene started blaring, so she and the troopers hurried to be at their post.
Tiara was standing, waiting. She felt calm and confident, but not so with Ryoma. He looks on edge. She took a glance around, no sign of Tomo or Jun. Even though not on the frontline, Tomo is usually somewhere watching their vessels like a hawk, and he and his team were always able to save the troopers and those having trouble with their vessels. but now, he is nowhere to be seen.
I mustn't get distracted. I'm sure Tomo's busy helping the troopers.
Tiara looked at her troops and promised to herself. "I will not let the troops down."
"I won't let them get hurt. I won't let any casualties". She promised herself.
She and her troops are ready when from afar she could see the vessels stay in their position. They didn't move forward, as if they are waiting for them to tire and lose focus.
Tiara glanced at Ryoma for a while. He looks as if he is holding down his anger. Ryoma's expression was never like this. Could he have known how dangerous this attacker is? Tiara cannot read Ryoma's mind without unmasking herself, making herself vulnerable. She didn't want that.
She kept to her position while letting her troops take turns.
After a while, she heard Ryoma's steps come up toward her. "Take a break. We don't want you in a fatigue condition to face these villains. "Go. I'll catch up with you later."
Tiara went to the soup house where they prepare food for those who are fighting.
"Go home. Keep yourself safe. We can take care of ourselves. Thank you for preparing all these," Tiara said.
"It's our pleasure to serve," they replied as they stepped back and went out of the soup house.
"Have they all gone home?" Ryoma asked. Tiara nodded while gulping her drink. She never realized she was this thirsty.
"Where's Jun?
"I haven't seen him, I think. "
"Ryoma," she asked. "Do you honestly trust Jun?"
"Is there a reason not to?"
"I Have a feeling that he is not to be trusted, especially in this attack. So do you honestly trust him?" she repeated the question.
There was an air of uncertainty in Ryoma. "The truth? I'm not sure." he went silent. "I don't trust people. I only trust myself."
As if avoiding any other questions, he said,"After we have our break, we can be on guard."
They both took some food and drinks. Tiara glanced at Ryoma, he had a different expression. She has never seen him like this. It's not an expression of worry or nervousness. It was an expression of a bit of fear and a bit of hatred. and so it seems he was hiding something. Tiara wanted to ask him but hesitated, and then decided not to say anything.
Who's the rat?
They both quickly had their meal and went straight back, to relieve Jun who was looking up at the sky with a crooked smile on his face.
"Could they be waiting for us to tire?" Tiara asked Jun. He was surprised since he didn't hear them coming.
"Surprised to see us? I wonder what you're thinking of, looking at the sky, with a smirk on your face," Tiara said cynically.
"I...I wasn't thinking of anything," he said, not knowing what to say. He was really taken by surprise by the appearance of Ryoma and Tiara. Especially Ryoma. There was a hint of fear in him.
"So... Jun is daydreaming. I've never seen you daydream. In a tight situation like this, how could you daydream? Or maybe, you're trying to contact them? and we caught you by surprise? Tiara continued voicing her thoughts.
Tiara's starting to bother him. He got angry. "You should know without asking. You're the one who can read minds, huh? so why don't you ask your mind? and tell us about it?"
"Ouch.. getting sensitive, aren't you? I think I have voiced my opinion. or maybe you did not hear it because you are so busy contacting the leader of the attack?"
"Are you accusing me?"
"Do you feel I'm accusing you? Tiara asked again.
"Okay, I'll answer. I'm not daydreaming and I'm not contacting anyone. Part of it, I thought maybe they are trying to unmask us first so they know what they're facing." He answered not in a confident way."
*Satisfied?" He added
"Sure, if that's what you say. Although I wonder why and how in the last battle, they know our position, while the masking is still intact."
Tiara sensed that there was a secret something that Jun kept to himself, so she continued speaking.
"Hope the masking will hold," Tiara said. "But I'm curious as to how they know that this place is inhabited?" Tiara couldn't hide her sarcasm. "I'm sure you knew, don't you Jun?"
Jun just shrugged. He didn't say a word.
"Tongue-tied eh Jun?" As Tiara had sensed, Ryoma was there and heard everything.
"You're not getting cold feet in answering her, are you?"Ryoma said.
"Don't try to downsize me Jun, ever!" Ryoma snapped at him.
"If I ever find out. that you're the rat, you know how you will end," Ryoma's voice was grim. He sounded like the grim reaper, ready to 'take care of Jun'.
Tiara felt anger and fear in Jun's voice. "Of course, it's not me. I don't care what Tiara said. Ask her for proof."
"If it's not you, why are you so agitated? Tiara sneered. "I didn't point out it was you."
"Enough," Ryoma said.
" I will keep an eye on you. Ryoma said harshly to Jun. "Don't you ever forget that!" he said sternly "I know you're hiding something or maybe you have something planned."
Tiara felt that she was starting to succeed in making both of them stand against each other. She looked at Jun, and at a glance, she had a vision that Jun knew the attacker. He knew the leader, and it seems that he knew him well.
Tiara went to see Ryoma, and asked directly, "Are you aware that Jun knew someone from the attacker?"
"How did you know?" He doesn't seem to be very shocked.
"Did you know already?"
"I guessed that there was something that was not right. I can see it from Jun's attitude. But I'm not sure, what he's getting us into."
"What does the attacker look like? Did you see him clearly?
"I guess. He was a big rough type." She short answered. She doesn't want to share everything with Ryoma.
His face went white. It was as if he"s seeing a ghost. Then his hands clenched even tighter.
"Feels like you know the enemy, don't you? I guess, you'd better take care of Jun."
"While I'm going to see how the people are doing," Tiara said as she left the scene.
"Remember that your duty is here. Don't be soft," Ryoma snapped at her. "We need a fighter, not a soft-hearted wreck," said Ryoma shouting at her.
"You can shout anyway you like. Remember, you're not my superior."
"Although.... actually you're the one who becomes soft, or should I say terrified?" Tiara chuckled and continued, "you should look at yourself in the mirror, to know how pale you've become when you know who the enemy is. Now, take care of Jun, or you'll be sorry."
"Don't you dare to step in front of me," Tiara said as Ryoma was about to stand in front of her. She started moving her hand. Ryoma took a step back. A black aura surrounded him.
"Hmm, I wonder who he is," Tiara said aloud while making her way to the troopers. Making Ryoma angrier. "You'd better take care of Jun if you don't want to be defeated or killed. You know that they're after you."
She just walked and went to her position and mumbled. 'Don't ever say that humanity is identical to being soft. I will forever care about others.'
The next day, still the attackers didn't make a move. It was as if they are watching, observing, and waiting. And this went on for days.
Tiara and the troops keep changing guards and are continuously on standby. But today, Tomo joined Jun and Ryoma. It seems that they had some serious talking. Tiara couldn't hear what they were saying and couldn't read their minds either because she was afraid that it will make the attacker able to unmask the Place.
The way the three of them talk, and their body language showed that they're involved in an argument. All looked tense and Ryoma even clenched his fist. Moments later, the argument stopped and Tiara saw that the attackers are moving away. Could it be that they're planning a sudden attack?" Her mind was in turmoil, so she let the troops rest, while she sat alone at the soup house, a place that is built for emergency purposes, for making food for the troopers. After thanking the last two people who helped, she told them to leave for safety.
She was still sitting on the chair, hugging her knees, trying to relax her mind and body when the threesome went in and stood in front of her.
She looked up, saying nothing.
"There was a glitch in the masking. Someone telepathized." Ryoma said harshly. His voice sounded incriminating.
"Are you accusing me? After all this time, and you still trust Jun? What is between you and Jun? Are you so afraid of this attacker, that you want to hide behind Jun? You know that Jun is the rat. still, you don't trust me?" Tiara's voice was hard. She was in shock. "How could you think it was me? I'm not the only one who has this ability," she said defiantly. "You and Jun know this person. You're scared of him and Jun knows that and now he's got the upper hand."
Ryoma did not say a thing. As if he was digesting what Tiara had just said."
"It can either be you or Jun or both. But no one has such a big ability as you. Although I don't think you are the one to be watched," Ryoma said.
"I once thought you are a good and wise man. Now I know for certain that you're not, and I also know now that you are just a coward." Tiara said, denying Ryoma's statement.
Ryoma's was red with anger. Tomo stepped up between him and Tiara.
"What about you Jun? You got this ability in a scientific way, so you could have been the one who did it!" Tiara turned to Jun.
"That's what I meant by saying I'm not keeping a watchful eye on Tiara."
Tomo who until now said nothing, moved forward until his face was only centimeters away from Jun. "True, It must be you, with your blue ball. You're one of them." Tomo looked him straight in the eye." I'm so stupid to let you have the ball. I used to think you were just a simple geek. It turned out you are an evil geek!" Tomo almost couldn't withhold himself.
Ryoma shoved Tomo's shoulders, "I might think that Jun may have been the culprit. But on the other hand, Jun has been with me for a long time. I think he knows better than to defy me. While you are a genius, you could be the brain of all this.
"Jun, show us the blue ball. I know you had it with you!" Tomo insisted. He sounded impatient. He shoved Jun to the bench and took the ball out of his pocket.
"Yes, as I thought. The ball has just been used. " Tomo said while showing it to Ryoma.
"You used it to contact them, didn't you? Tomo held Jun's collar. One hand puts the ball in his inside his pocket. "Why on earth did you do it?
You told them that the volcanoes are just masking didn't you, that's why they attack!"
Ryoma grabbed Jun away from Tomo. " His face was grim. His jaw clenched and teeth gritted. "I can't believe what I just heard. But there's proof, you bastard." Ryoma hits Jun again and again until Tomo managed to separate them.
"Who is this person? Who is it? Tomo kept pressuring Jun. "I ask you, who is it? Tomo didn't take his hands off Jun's collar, he kept tightening his grasp until Jun choked.
"It's Karl's troops. I'm sure you remember him," sneered Jun glancing at Ryoma.
Haunted by memory
Ryoma's face turned pale. He was scared of Karl. His mind went to the day Karl appeared. "It was mid-afternoon. Every inmate was already in their cell, when from the end of the row, nearest to the entry gate, aluminum cups started clanging hard on the bars, making noisy, loud sounds. It was a sign that a newcomer was about to enter. The new person was tall, big, light-brown-haired with hard features on his face.
he walked to his cell. not once did he look sideways or seem intrigued with all the banging. It was as if 'deadly' was an attached sign on him.
Ryoma didn't see him until the next week, that was when he was planning to break away. It was in the courtyard, a place to show strength and domination for the strong ones and also an obedient and submissive attitude by the weaker ones.
It looks like Karl already had a couple of adherents who were always beside him.
One of them looked at Ryoma who was sitting alone. Jun was never in the courtyard. He would stay in the garage or library. He then made a sign to Karl.
Ryoma knew that he has to be able to hold his guard. If not, he will be the joke of the prison. Ryoma stood when Karl started to walk over to him.
He kept his stand, feet apart. The weaker ones started to disperse. Some hid behind the benches. The guards seem to have noticed this but did nothing. They just aim their rifles and waited till the fight actually happened.
Both contenders walked closer when suddenly, Karl took a sharpened short iron bar from his pants. Ryoma had a piece of glass in his pocket, but he didn't want to show it yet. In seconds the fight started. The bar was thrown away. They were fighting on the ground. Ryoma pulled the glass from his pocket and slashed it to Karl's face. Someone threw the iron at Karl and Karl stabbed it into Ryoma's arm. It was then the riot began, and a guard shot into the air to end it.
Although he didn't become the joke of the prison, Ryoma felt that he will never be safe while Karl was around, and he felt the next time, he will be the loser, because, at that time, he would have died if the guard didn't fire a shot.
The battle begins
"As I've said, you both know him, and Jun knew you were scared of this Karl,"
"You're right Tiara. He's totally scared of Karl." Jun laughed loudly.
Ryoma almost hit Jun again. Just at that moment, the sirene rang. Tomo held Tiara's arm as she was just going to walk past him, and about to run to her post. He whispered, "Be careful, think about yourself. Do not sacrifice yourself. The others are safe. Trust me on this" He left as soon as he lets go of her arm.
"That's the same words I heard in my dream. How could I have once ever thought of not trusting Tomo? How could I be suspicious of him? How could I be so stupid?" Tiara shook her head as if wanting to erase the memory that she once doubted him and wrongly judge him.
Although still in turmoil with her feelings, Tiara rushed to her troops and nodded to them, as a sign of support. She called one of them and told him to make sure the soup house is empty. Civilians should be home, in their personal vessels.
In seconds the attack started. A crisscross of laser beams can be seen in the sky ripping the clouds and creating a grey and red sky. Vessels attacked the attackers while troopers on the ground helped to save the injured pilots, sending them to a safe place.
Whooshing sounds, blasting explosions from hit vessels, numbing everyone's hearing sense. The smoke and smell of burning vessels and burnt bodies filled the air. Everyone had their mask on. The smell was unbearable. Queasiness and nausea were hard to endure.
Tiara tried hard to avoid casualties from her side. She used the mind attack at a minimum to avoid totally unmasking the place. But the second she realized, the masking was unveiled, she attacked as hard as she could, and also addressed her troops to deploy up to the max.
But still, she couldn't unleash her full power, for she knew, it might kill the troopers, pilots, and everyone there.
At the same moment, she realized that Jun was nowhere in sight. Where could he be? She thought. Looking at the large numbers of injured troopers, Tiara raised her arms and open the palm of her hand to build a barrier between the troopers and vessels.
It worked. Less injured troopers and pilot vessels. They fought for two whole days, without food and hardly any drink.
The attackers finally backed off. Tiara knew that they also had big casualties, but they had a lot of troops, which clearly outnumbered the troopers. That's what really made Tiara question this retreat. She focused her thoughts for a second, and she had a vision that Jun had just communicated. And what was most shocking was, he was holding another blue ball, although this one seemed a little purplish.
Tiara went to Tomo who was taking care of the injured. Ryoma was also there, although not doing anything. He seems immersed in himself.
"Tomo, did you know that Jun had another blue ball?"
Tomo turned around to look at her. He reached for his pocket. The blue ball was still there.
"He had another one? He asked with disbelief.
"Yes, I saw him holding the blue ball just before the attackers' retreat. And he puts it back into his pocket.."
"Find Jun," Tomo commanded the troopers.
"You go find him. I can handle it here," Tiara assured Tomo.
"You go back to your post!" Ryoma shouted in a harsh tone.
"What did you say?" Tiara couldn't hold her anger. "You didn't help with the injured. You only stood there! And now you are commanding them? That's a laugh!"
With a steady but stern voice, Tiara said, "You are nothing! You are just a coward! Maybe Jun is just your subordinate, to do whatever you command him to do! But now he rebelled, and you are terrified of him."
Ryoma was about to lash out when Tomo and two troopers came dragging Jun, who was trying hard to free himself.
"You're right Tiara, he has another ball." Tomo confirmed Tiara's vision. "and yes, he has contacted them. But the contact stops here. He won't be able to contact them again." Tomo said, putting the other ball in his side pocket.
"I'll kill you, you ungrateful rat," Ryoma growled and swung his hand to hit Jun again and again until he just lay there helpless on the floor.
Jun was held in a locked room, while Tomo, Dave, and Tiara are taking turns standing guard waiting for the next attack. Ryoma was nowhere to be seen, and Tiara don't want to waste time wondering about him.
A day, and a week passed by without any attack. "Maybe their troops are healing, just like ours. We have so many casualties, but luckily, no fatalities," Tiara said to herself.
"The troopers healed well and quickly. They are now in the process, of getting their energy back," she added
"If we're healing, then it means they are too. So we must be careful as they have more troopers, and they could make a sudden attack, like during night hours," Tomo said reminding her.
"True. I agree with you. It will be a lot tougher since their troops outnumbered us."
Just like what Tomo had predicted, the attack came at 1 am. Tiara, the troopers, and the pilot vessels all fight hard. For two days in a row. They were all exhausted.
During a break in the battle, Tomo and Tiara gathered all troopers and pilots. They expressed their thanks and mentioned how they are really proud of them. Tomo mentioned that everyone in the community is safe. They are now living a normal life in another place. I cannot mention where. I don't know who's listening. One thing I know is, they are totally worried about those who haven't got there.
"We are the only twenty people left. And as you all know, the safety of everyone is of the utmost importance. So we will try to hold up. But also be ready to leave The Place. To leave what we call home which has been ransacked by two evil beings, and move to a better and more peaceful place," Tomo started his talk.
"It is not poor-spirited to retreat, and it is not shameful to lose in a battle. It is just a matter of knowing when to back out. And maybe now it is the time." Tomo's voice was calm and assuring, so none felt the shame.
"We want to fight beside you. But we are under your command, so we will follow as we also know that you are a man of wisdom," The others murmured words of agreement.
"Thank you, for everything."
Tiara was surprised that Tomo had prepared everything. Her tear-drop fell when she knew that the most important thing for her, which is the safety of everyone, had been taken care of.
"Worst scenario," Tomo sighed, "Tiara and I will be the last ones to leave or may be unable to leave."
"Dave, you will go when the last trooper left, and be the caretaker of the new place,"
"Only until you arrive," Dave emphasized on that. "And you'd better join us soon." They hugged, as Tomo and Dave were the best of friends.
"This is not goodbye, " Dave added. " Remember that."
Is it the end?
That evening, another attack started.
Tiara knew and was aware that they were on the losing team, as the attackers have double manpower, and certainly not because the troopers lacked skill and power. She told the troopers and pilot vessels to retreat and save themselves.
Ryoma saw that and tried to stop her by going to punch her, but one of the troopers immediately shoved him away from Tiara. "Thank you", Tiara whispered, knowing the trooper would understand.
"I am the leader. Not her. All of you should defend this place until death." Ryoma was so angry. but nobody listened to him. Nobody cared about him. They even hated him and Jun for destroying peaceful living. They kept retreating to obey and respect Tiara's command.
Tiara had no time to think about Ryoma's anger. Although it did pass her mind, that this was the real Ryoma, and the kind Ryoma was no more, or it possibly is that all this time his kindness was just a cover-up, to create an image of himself.
Tiara made a barrier for herself and made herself invisible, and subsequently made virtual images of their vessels, so the pilots can land and make it to safety without the attackers knowing about it. She could see Tomo in the background, making extra effort to bring the troopers and pilots away from the battle.
The attackers keep on bombarding. Lasers keep zipping. Traces of laser beams made a crisscrossed sky. Tiara withstands the fatigue and the pain of enduring the attacks and focused on finding the main vessel, where the villain was.
She tried to shoot it down. She felt the mind power of the villain stop her. They then had a mental battle. it was a really tough battle. They both had similar capabilities. Each is an equal opponent.
Unknown to her, Ryoma was so angry at her that he set Jun free, to take revenge on her. "I will let you go if you kill her, and I won't have a grudge against you. I'm sure Karl will lose if he fights one-on-one against Tiara. You know that. So kill her now, and we will be free of her.
"And after that, I will kill Tomo to get my blue balls back."
Karl was losing and was getting lost in confusion after hearing the deafening breaking sounds and muddled images Tiara created inside his head, while she was just like a sponge, absorbing Karl's mental abilities.
Tiara was about to win when suddenly, she felt a stabbing pain in her back. She turned and saw Jun, wearing Tomo's 'See' glasses to see her invisible being, and the bloody knife in his hand.
"You will not win this battle!" Jun shouted. "This is my chance to be the leader, and not be Ryoma's slave. At the time he was going to stab her for the second time, Tiara closed her eyes and tears run down her cheek. She felt extreme pain. in trying to numb it, she screamed in pain and thus stopped time. She gathered all her strength and shot down the leader of the pack and sent it burning it in flames.
She turned to look at Jun still holding his blade. She mentally moved his hand towards himself, and after his hand moved, she made him stab himself. She tried to locate Ryoma. She knew it must be him who unlocked the door and commanded Jun to kill her, but she could not see him anywhere. Could he have run away and cowardly saved himself?
Tiara was bleeding too much. She tried to mentally stitch her wound to stop the bleeding as best as she could for she didn't have the strength anymore. She also never knew that she could heal herself. Is this the ability that she absorbed from Karl? She never knew, but she was glad to have this ability when she needed it.
With the last of her strength, she scanned the area and was glad that there were no more troopers and pilots on the ground. Tomo must have evacuated every single person. "Tomo, I hope you are safe, as she cannot find him anywhere because her sightings got blurred. You said I should not sacrifice myself, I'm sorry I couldn't do that."
With her vision blurred and her strength fading away, she did not see Tomo running toward her, trying to save her.
She raised her hand and made all of the attacker's vessels explode. None was left. Debris fell all over the place, but of course, she did that after she was sure that everyone including the animals have been evacuated and safe. But had no idea what happened to Tomo and Ryoma. While Jun is dead, or that's what she thought.
What she saw last, was a piece of steel flying to her and entering her thigh as she fell. Part of it went in and part of it went out from her rear thigh, then...
Everything went black.
Where am I?
It was pitch black as Tiara woke up and tried to move her right hand to feel her still painful back, but her hands cannot reach it. She realized she was confined as she heard the clanging of chains. The clanging of chains could also be heard when she tried to move her left arm. She immediately knew she was held captive in chains.
She tried to feel her thigh. The steel was still there. It was still a bit wet. So it means, she did not pass out for a long time.
She reached for her legs, which weren't in chains, the pain was excruciating. She focused her mind so as not to feel the pain. Then, she pulled the steel and did a mental stitch to her thigh. Her hands moved as if she were really stitching, then she passed out.
In her dream, she was alone and walking on an empty road. She could see no one. She woke up. Tried to feel her legs. It doesn't hurt anymore. It seems to have healed quickly.
"Could it be that this is one of Karl's special abilities that I absorbed? She asked herself, and so many questions starts to pop into her head.
Who did this to her? Who chained her?
She tried to break down her chains but failed. it was then she realized that she was wearing the headband, used in practice. It turns out, that this headband is not just a headband to monitor her ability in battle but that the headband is to limit and minimize her ability to use mental communication. She couldn't telepathize and she felt really weak as her wound had not healed. so she decided not to force herself, and wait patiently until the opportunity comes.
A few moments later, a bottle of water and cereals were shoved, touching her right hand through a very small and short latch, just enough to shove in a plate and a laid-down bottle. It was like a prison cell. "Is this a jail? There is no jail in the Place. Where am I?"
She noticed her handcuffs were off from her right-hand wrist. She was able to move a bit to reach the bottle. She drank all of it as she was so thirsty. Then she sat up and leaned on the wall, trying to reach the cereal, hoping that by eating, she will regain her strength.
She looked around her. What is this place? Could it be a secret place that only Ryoma dan Jun knew? A lot of things came to her thoughts, but not for long. Just moments later after she ate the cereal, she felt drowsy. The room moved in a circle, and she passed out.
When she awoke, she felt the tight handcuffs on both wrists. She could see a bit of light from beneath the door as there was a small gap between the door and the cold floor.
"Why is the floor cold? that it is not flooring, This is raw stones. She moved her hands toward the wall which was also cold but not as cold as the floor, like in a dungeon or a mine shaft. Who took me captive? I saw Jun stab himself. Karl's vessel got burnt and fell. Ryoma was the only one I lost.
She tried to move and bend her back. It was not as painful as yesterday. Was it really yesterday or how many days was I unconscious? But if being unconscious can heal me, then I will eat and drink to heal and energize myself. Tiara looked to her right, a bottle of water and food was already shoved through the latch. Moments later, she passed out.
Where is she?
At the same moment, Tomo finally woke up, after days of unconsciousness. Dave was sitting beside him. "Tiara?" that's the first word that Tomo uttered. He sat up, looking around the room. "Where's Tiara?" he asked after noticing Tiara wasn't there.
Dave shook his head. "I couldn't find her. There were no signs of where she is. I came back after the blast. I found you on the ground, unconscious. I called for backup to bring you here and in the meantime, I searched for Tiara, so I went to the room where we locked Jun up. Although it was not intact anymore, I can still see that It was opened from the outside. That's when I realized that Jun and Ryoma could be somewhere, and Tiara might have been in great danger.
After that, I found the bloody machete. and a pool of blood. It was Tiara's blood. The blood on the machete was Tiara and Jun. But Tiara, Jun, and Ryoma were not in sight. The troopers and I checked the area again. But nothing. That's when I decided to bring you home first and keep trying to search for Tiara and also waiting for her to send a signal.
"How long have I been unconscious?"
"Two days"
Tomo abruptly sat on the bed and stood unsteadily.
"I know I can't stop you to look for Tiara now, so let's do it together.
Both went straight to the monitor, to check-up on everything. They don't want to lose Tiara, especially Tomo.
Alone
Meanwhile, Tiara opened her eyes. and her sight has become accustomed to the darkness. She now could see almost clearly what her room looks like. It was cave-like, not a natural cave. It could be said as a dungeon with its rugged walls and floors.
She tried to sit straight. She moved her arm to take off the headband, but she couldn't reach it, and her back hurt a bit when she moved her arms high.
It was then she heard a disguised voice saying, "You are an extremely curious person, aren't you? Nobody will ever find you. Only Ryoma and Jun knew about this place."
Tiara couldn't be tricked by the disguised voice which sounded a lot like Tomo's voice. However, she knew that it was Jun. But how could he be still alive? Wasn't Ryoma the last one standing?" She immediately erased her thoughts before they could be read.
"Just remember," the voice said. "I will never forgive you." Tiara kept quiet. She doesn't want to reveal that she knew who it was. Not yet. With that, she heard the sound of a mic being clicked off, and she heard the sound of wheels.
She was surprised when she grasped the fact that her hearing got extremely better. She even knew that the sound came from a room on her left, not on the right as she first thought when the food came from the latch.
She tried to hear more, but there were no other sounds. No other voice, only the sound of a pen scratching on a piece of paper. "So Ryoma is not here. Could he be dead?"
She put her hands on her back. The pain is still there, but not too excruciating anymore. It was bearable.
When she realized she was alone, and Jun was not in close range of her, she tried to gather her memories. The last thing she remembered was Ryoma trying to hit her when one trooper stopped him from reaching her. From there on she remembered Jun stabbing her, and she made everything stand still, made Jun stab himself, and at the time, Ryoma was still there, he was still alive. Tiara was sure of that. He was looking at her. But after that.... she realized that she cannot locate either Tomo or Ryoma.
She erased her thoughts as she heard the sound of wheels whirring toward her and the door in the other room opened. A slide of wheels can be heard. It was a wheelchair. She was certain of it, but it was rolling on a smooth floor. "It means the only dungeon was this room."
Then, there was only silence. Moments later clicks on the keyboard could be heard. After some time, the sounds of sliding wheels can be heard going out of the room, and the slow closing of a sliding door.
Tiara just sat and leaned her head on the wall, in total darkness. She tried to map the location. She tried to communicate with her mom or Tomo but didn't succeed as she was not strong enough. She could feel the change in the air. It was cooler, like in the early hours of the morning. She felt unable to sleep but tried hard to get some sleep, and to her surprise, she slept well.
Tiara kept counting the days by memorizing and remembering when she felt the days change, and after that, scratched the chain on the wall. A couple of days later, as she was getting stronger, she dreamt of this place where she was held captive. It was totally empty. Only in one of the rooms, there was a bed and a wheelchair. There was a person sleeping. "Who's wheelchair is that? is it Jun? Is that why he said he will not forgive me?"
Tiara got more curious about what happened during the battle. She thought she had killed him, but he is alive although maybe in a wheelchair. Was it her who made him paralyzed? What happened to Tomo and Ryoma? Those thoughts seem to be stuck in her mind.
The next day and days after, Tiara still didn't meet Jun and she had blocked her mental ability since she was afraid that Jun might get her ability and use it for evil purposes. She only used it during the early hours when Jun was asleep. But still, she wasn't able to make contact with anyone.
Day to day, the small latch opened and a bottle of water and a small plate of food was pushed through. Until one day, more than a fortnight later, as can be seen on the scratches of her nails on the wall as an effort to count the days, only water came, and no food was given.
On that day, she drank the water and in seconds, she was unconscious. Jun had put a soporific substance again in the water after days of not adding it to the water. Hours later, Tiara woke up, and both her wrist are still in chains. Even her head was bound to the wall. She was also blindfolded. It seems Jun was afraid that Tiara would use her gaze to attack him.
She heard the door open and the sound of wheels on the floor could be heard.
Tiara kept quiet. She didn't want to arouse anger in Jun. She was traumatized by the stabbing pain of the machete.
"Do you know who I am?"
Tiara didn't answer.
"Knowing your great ability, I think you know who I am, but you must be shocked to know I'm not dead. And I guess you are disappointed because you couldn't finish me off." He sneered.
"But now I"m an invalid," he shouted. "You did this. You ruined me!" He yelled.
Tiara squirmed, She had no idea what he would do. "Ha! Now you're scared of me. How does it feel to be nothing, not having power." His sinister laugh filled the room.
"Where's Tomo?" She mustered up her courage to ask.
"Hah, How dare you ask about him!" Jun shouted frantically as if he had lost his mind. "He's dead! Dead! Dead" He shouted at the top of his voice." I have always distrusted that rat," his breathing was rapid.
Never in Tiara's mind, that Jun whom she had known, was the same person as this lunatic. She remembered Jun being a nice guy, a normal nice guy though a bit introverted.
"And Ryoma?"
He laughed again. "He's totally dead. I killed him. And now I am number One. No one could push me around, telling me what to do."
"He's the one who released you but you still kill him?
He laughed a sinister laugh. "No need to worry about him. You will soon experience the same. "After I open up your head and your abilities have become mine, I would make you feel how it is to be invalid. From now on, all you will feel is pain." He gritted his teeth.
Tiara can hear the sound of wheels moving farther. As he was nearing the door, Tiara decided not to let him go that easily. Her hatred and anger have rolled up into one big rage. "You cannot get anything from me. I will not let you. I am stronger than you I'm stronger than Karl. God knows the good will always win." She shouted.
"For now!" he shouted back. TIara could sense the wheelchair moving closer "I saw what you did to my partner. "You killed him and destroyed everything," he said while punching his chest rapidly in anger. "We had planned it for years, and I had injected substances to weaken you, but you just became stronger." His voice is loud and emotional.
"That was my chance. My single chance after all these years. He's the only person Ryoma's ever afraid of. The only one since we serve our time in the slammer. That's why Ryoma used you to destroy what you thought was the enemy trying to attack The Place." His breath panting. "I had given him clues, and loopholes so he can take over the Place. He even knew about your strength and how to overcome them. But you and that rat Tomo ruined everything." His shout was like a growl.
"You're the rat and you're the one who destroyed everything, she said angrily. But seconds later, Jun's word just comes to mind and materializes, as if the alphabet is structured into a word: Slammer.
"You and Ryoma were prisoners?"
The Revenge
The Jury had a unanimous vote. The skinny and geeky-looking person should get a life sentence. And this person kept protesting, saying he was innocent. He didn't even show remorse when the prosecutor showed the pictures of his victim. He kept saying that the victim got what he deserved for being mean to him.
"Am I wrong about what I did? What about what he did to me? He spent years and years torturing me. He's the one who is guilty," he shouted. As he was taken out of the courtroom, he keeps on shouting," I am innocent. I am innocent you bastards. I did the right thing to eliminate him. He's the one who is evil. And I won"
There was a glint of satisfaction, or was it happiness? He is either manipulative with his sweet and geeky looks, or a total lunatic who got the value of good and bad reversed. He showed a really strange expression, especially as he was just sentenced to life in prison. He is like evil coated in sugar.
With his light brown hair, 5 feet 7 inches tall, he was not a tall person. And his lanky body and glasses make him look even smaller and frail. That could be the reason why his schoolmates pick on him. They must have thought he was an easy target. And he was.
He never tried to fight them, since he knew he would never win and make the bullies even angrier. After being beaten and bruised all over him, he usually went to the rear side of the school, and shouted, punched the things he could find, kick the empty cans. Then he would just sit on a rusty old chair, take out his school agenda, and wrote and draw on it.
Pages and pages of the agenda have been filled with pictures of persons hanging, stabbed, and bleeding and there are even drawings of cut-off heads.
Unclear writings were scribbled on the pages. The most readable and clear was his plan in numbers, written in bold red, to strip the skin of the person's body parts.
He wrote: 1. prepare knives and every utensil needed, 2. Lure person, saying he hid the money. And it goes on until number ten, in which he drew some kind of a kettledrum, as the end result.
It was written over and over again on the other pages as if he was trying to assure himself that this plan would work.
After a while, he got up and left.
Days, weeks, and even months went by, but still, the plan wasn't executed.
It was after graduation, that he finally met this person who always bullied him. He was the person who bullied him the most. The geek pretended to be scared when he saw him and The bully asked him for money. The geek told him that he had some in the back side of the school and ask him to go with him. The greedy side of the person made him agree to go along with Jun.
As they reached it, the geek went to take his book and started reading it.
"What are you doing? We didn't come here to read the book? Where's the money?" He said while trying to reach his collar.
"Wait, I have it. But I want you to drink with me as we have graduated. He poured the drink into two shot glasses.
The victim was in severe pain and fell on the floor only after a sip.
The geek got closer to the barely alive victim, then stabbed him with the knife he hid in the agenda. He stabbed him numerous times. Aptly avoiding the core organs. He has the intention of keeping the victim alive.
The police said there were 18 stabs in the stomach and chest when they found his body. It was said that it shows extreme anger or an imbalanced emotional state of mind. That statement was said prior to find the drum.
He pulled the knife out, opened his book again, and read it over and over. After some time, he kneeled near the barely alive victim, picked up the knife, and start to peel both arms, putting the skin on the floor while he took a broken African kettledrum and start to craft the skin on the kettledrum.
Hours after, he went home, bringing his drum.
The victim was reported missing. The family felt something was wrong because the victim couldn't be found, and they were sure he wouldn't run away, especially not after graduation.
The next day, he went back to the crime scene and took his knife, and carried 2 empty cans as he went outside.
The janitor who saw him from afar thought that it was strange that a boy whose being bullied would go back to school just after graduation, looking bright when he usually never showed a smile.
When he saw the missing boy on television, As if by instinct, he went to check the area. His instinct turned out to be correct. A body was on the floor.
The police came there in just a couple of minutes and immediately tried to reach his friends, which the police thought might also be in danger since the reason for it is thought to be revenge.
They immediately look for the geek as he was thought to be the one who did it, for revenge, since he was continuously bullied.
In the evening, after hours of search, the police found them tied and tortured in the basement. They're barely alive. There they found the drum and 2 empty cans. The geek had already left.
He found them after two days, hiding in the woods. The geek was immediately caught and restrained. They found him with the kettledrum.
When he was taken to the police car, he continuously shouted, "I'm innocent. They did it to themselves. It's because of what they did! "Where's my drum? I want to hit it, again and again!" His cry and scream felt chilling to the bone.
Psychiatrists were consulted, to know whether he is considered mentally ill or not. But in the end, it was said that he could be trialed as a normal person. And the verdict was a life sentence.
The Serial Killer
On the same day, there was another trial. The man was even creepier. He was a serial killer. He killed just for fun, to fulfill his need to kill. He killed 11 women. His profile was truly bizarre. Ever since he was a toddler, he was often seen pulling the legs of cockroaches and crickets. As he grew older he was seen killing a bird, a cat even a rabbit with bare hands.
During his younger years, when he got reprimanded, he always say sorry. He really does seem sorry as he said it, but it doesn't stop him from doing it over and over again until his teenage years. Unlike the geek who was an introvert and almost alone at all times,
When he entered high school, he became the eye of the girls. Almost every girl at school wanted to date him. But after about a year later, his true self was often seen, especially during biology class. He didn't follow the teacher's instructions. In fact, he just opens the lifeless frog, takes the frog's eyes out, or does things that most will feel queasy. Even some of his classmates actually ran to the bathroom and vomited.
Since stories of him started to circle in school, most of the students avoided him. He made them feel scared.
As a sophomore, he was often seen alone. He was also often seen eyeing the girls from afar. In fact, he was not only scrutinizing them but he always imagine doing things that never cross the minds of normal beings.
Even the bullies were afraid of him. Maybe that is the good thing about him being there. He does everything with his instinct. Like when at the time he saw a bully looking him in the eyes, he just walked toward him gripped his collar and started hitting him, and banged him to the walls. If the school security didn't restrain him at the time, the boy would have died.
He spent a couple of days in jail for the assault. But as he was a minor, he only got a reprimand and the duty to have a consultation session with a psychiatrist.
He did get out of that problem quite easily. But in effect, his hatred of others, especially people with power or people in charge had elevated. He started polishing his way of speaking, to achieve what he targeted, so he can get to the point he wanted. He wanted to be superior.
The teacher and most of the student was fooled and thought he had turned a new leaf. He even graduated well. Little do they know that his face and expression were just a mask, and behind it was the person with the cruel personality he really is.
His parents were even happy, thinking that their son is a normal person, an average person. No traces of animal torture was found. It was in fact the opposite. In those years, he kept torturing and killing animals, and bigger ones even. He killed a fox, by then he even stole a cow from a farmer, took it far into the woods, and killed it, after torturing it for days, by cutting parts of its body, bit by bit.
This secret was kept well until his adult years and was finally known when he was restrained by the police for multiple murders in later years. His liking for seeing agony in animals mounts up and more obnoxious as he becomes an adult.
Physically, he grew into a good-looking man. Dark-haired, tall with broad shoulders. One of his pre-eminence is his smooth talk, which he built and nurtured during his younger years. His smooth talking also made him a good salesman. He was quite successful in selling, although his primary intention was to get to know women, who later will be his victims.
He likes to know women and make them feel close to him. When they have fallen in love with him, he will feel that he's the superior one. As the woman becomes submissive, he then took their life because he got bored. His victims were randomly chosen. he had no specific type, and he roams from county to county to find his victims. He never stayed in one place for long. That's one of the reasons the police had difficulties capturing him. He lured women in their twenties until forty of age. He chose blonde or dark-haired, long or short-haired, tall, slim or big build. None of which makes a difference to him. He liked them all, not to have special feelings, of course, but a sense of fulfillment as they begged him for their lives.
He was calm and seen as the nice guy type when he is among a group of people. But as we look into his eyes when we are alone with him, one can see the grimness even the sadist in his eyes.
The almost-to-be-victim
As one of the to-be victims testified in the courtroom and said, "I have known him for 3 months. For the first 2 months, he was a sweet man, just like when I first knew him as a salesman. After 2 months, I began to sense a strangeness in him. When he saw the neighbor's cat walking into our garden, he immediately chased the cat. He was so focused and full of lust, just like when a dog chases a cat. The other time was when he was alone. He didn't see me. He was eyeing a big knife in the garage. He was sharpening it. On the table was a leather case with all kinds of knives. I was shocked, what would he use that knife for? As far as I know, he didn't have one. I tiptoed from where I was standing. I didn't know why I didn't ask him straight away, but I just felt fear, and frightened when I saw his expression."
"The next day, she took the pack of knives and took the smallest knife prior to throwing away the packet of knives. She couldn't really explain why she did it. She only had a feeling that she has to do it. Just like she couldn't explain why she took the knife, wrap it with a piece of cloth, and always kept it with her. She only mentioned that she felt really scared and unsafe, every time she saw his expression. She said he was not the man she knew anymore."
"A couple of days later, her hunch turned out to be true. He dragged her to the basement, knowing that nobody could hear even if she shrieks. He laid her on the floor and then put her on what looked like an operating table. All this time she pretended to be unconscious. He seems uninterested to know whether she is conscious or not."
He then walked out, after locking the door. In the meantime, she took out the small blade. A few moments later, she heard an angry growl. He was like an angry wounded animal. He opened the door with a bang. "What did you do with my knives?"
He walked fast toward her and shook her hard. it was then she slit the knife on his chest a couple of times and ran, not forgetting to lock the door. She ran to the nearest neighbor and ask them to call the police, who got there in no time. He was walking out of the house in pain when the police caught him.
This one case opens the 11 cases of murder and made him trialed for multiple murders, which he admitted haughtily during a police interrogation.
Throughout the whole trial, he said nothing. Only once in a while he was seen clenching his fist and gritting his teeth. A smirk can be seen, an expression of degradation. As if he hated not being in the upper hand. His expression cannot be seen by the audience as he had his back on them, Some almost can not believe that he is a serial killer. And even some supported him.
But, the jury, the prosecutor, and the judge especially, can clearly see the real him as they were seated facing him. They said later, that they had chills just by looking at him. The Judge gave a sentence without any doubt or regret, based on the pieces of evidence and also since he can clearly see the dark side of him.
The Jury, who were seated closer to the defendant, felt intimidated and also scared. If there is an even slim chance he were to be said Not Guilty, could he track them and kill them one by one? There is the possibility. As he was known to kill especially when the victims showed that they are terrified of him. Maybe that's why the votes of the jury were anonymous.
Guilty on1st degree murder was the verdict and got a death sentence. The family of the victims shouted and cried in relief. So did the jurors. Justice was established. As he walked out of the room, his head was held high. He didn't seem scared of the electric chair, awaiting his turn.
They were both on the same bus heading for prison. They eyed each other. As they head towards the cells, the small one immediately raised attention. it was clear that the 'hungry' inmates were attracted to him. He was pushed into the same cell as a tall big man who immediately slammed him to the walls and laughed.
The serial killer was temporarily put into a solitary cell before they moved him to the regular cell.
The Lunch Room.
It was called the Lunch Room since only lunch was served. It was filled with men. Haggarty men make you shiver and have goosebumps. It was during lunch when the riot happened. The skinny new guy was being bullied, hit, and kicked. He did try to defend himself but to no avail. He's a geek, not a fighter.
Seeing that he can make use of this genius, the tall handsome guy stepped in. Immediately the other inmates backed away. He just stood there, and only said, " Move back. He is mine." After that, the inmates dispersed.
That's when the skinny one becomes the slave, to do whatever geniuses do but this time it's for the 'master', and in return, he got protection.
And since then, Ryoma becomes the leader of the pack. Everyone was afraid of him. He used Jun because he knows he's a genius geek and vice versa whereas Jun used him because he needs protection. And they have been together since then.
After telling the whole story, Jun rolled the wheelchair closer. "You wouldn't understand how bad life in prison was, especially for a genius like me. They called me 'mad Jin' and always bullied me. It was when Ryoma and I made a pact, that he would protect me if I made sure, by using my genius brain, that he could live his life in comfort." Jun explained.
"Do you really think you're a genius?" Tiara laughed, mocking him. "you're just cruel." she added. She heard him grit his teeth.
"Torturing a person only for once is not cruel. What those bullies did to me was more than cruel. I had to suffer for 3 years ... He was in real pain and barely alive after he sipped the drink. I wanted him to feel more pain so I skinned him when he was still alive and I made a kettledrum from it. It was so satisfying, to know the jerk could feel the pain The same pain I felt when he kicked, punched, and put my head in the toilet."
Tiara was dumbfounded. She couldn't believe what she just heard. She was shocked to know that 2 people whom she had known for years, could actually be this evil
"What have I gotten myself into?" She asked herself. "This is a total nightmare."
"And Ryoma is the serial killer?" She was almost afraid to hear the answer, although she knew what the answer would be.
"As I said in my story, he was a serial killer, on death row," said Jun. Tiara gasped. How could she be so naive all this time? not knowing she was living with the villain Tiara has always thought that this is a peaceful place and a safe place to be. The reality really broke her heart.
Was this the unveiling that her mom mentioned? Did she know what was happening? Why didn't she tell me? Why do I have to find out about it myself? Is this the bitter truth that I have unveiled?
Questions, questions, and more questions piled up in Tiara's mind. But not even one single answer. She was so taken aback. She doesn't know what to do, she doesn't know what to think. She felt herself shutting down.
"Hahaha" Jun laughed out loud. I love seeing you like a broken doll. " Looks like you're not so great. The incredible Tiara is no more. I have defeated all. I am Number One now.
He continued, "you must be wondering why we pretended to be good guys. "Well, I'll tell you, only because by tomorrow, I would be taking your abilities," he said giving a warning. "don't even try to hide your powers."
He then continued, "So during our imprisonment, Ryoma decided to jailbreak, And I was the one that thought away and prepared everything. We decided to do it when the world was already in chaos There were floods, forest fires, eruptions, and all. When all were busy, I sabotaged the system so we could get away easily. They didn't find out about us until two days later, All this time they thought we were in our cell where it was actually just real live imagery. I fooled them all, he sounded haughty.
"It was then we reached an opening in the woods. We saw some sort of vessel. A middle-aged man was helping people to get in the 2nd vessel, and children and seniors were welcomed. He said he is taking them to a much safer place but then I heard him refuse people who wanted to enter. It turns out that he only took the good guys. I guess the category of good and bad, depends on his personal judgment. I was not scientific, from my point of view. He refused those to enter if he felt they are bad or people whom he thought had a negative vibe."
"We agreed that if we couldn't get in, we are going to take it from him. Vessels and more vessels kept coming and going. But the enormous vessel never left. Most of them were couples, humans, and animals. There were only maybe 100 families, and 50 single men and women. So I thought this must be a special vessel and easy to hijack. So we thought, when it was about to take off, we decided to hijack it, eliminate the person on duty, and the rest is history. Those who work there are morons. At the time, the condition of nature was extremely bad, but they just kept on. We watched those people work in a condition that will make most people hide for cover."
"Those people seem to be not afraid of forest fires and floods surrounding them. We had to wait for days, for a chance to take over the vessel. It was not easy, especially since the old man knew each person who assist him. So it was almost impossible to be on the vessel.
"Our idea to eliminate them was a great idea. We waited until the old man was not doing the selection, and succeeded in deceiving the officers on duty. It would be impossible if the old man was there. We also took their identities.
As all the rest are good people, it was so easy to manipulate them. That's how we got here. And, they had no idea what happened to those on duty, and never had the knowledge that we are impostors. The vessel got us here. No pilot needed.' The old man was a real genius. Imagine he was able to make a vessel that had never been built before. And he was able to keep animals from all kinds of species from extinction."
His laughter filled the room, then continued," We got everybody fooled for years, thinking we are good guys. We had shot lots of good guys' vessels by making them look as if they were the villains. At first, you and Tomo are no problem. You both haven't really developed your powers. But in the last few years, Tomo and you are really a handful. We needed your expertise, but we hated you both because you are extraordinary and your skills keep growing, no matter how hard we tried to put a stop to it.
"Nonetheless, what makes me the happiest the most is that all these years, The kind-hearted Tiara has killed lots and lots of good people. You killed them for us." He laughed a psychotic laugh.
"The stupid Tiara doesn't even know that mom is not her mom. That it was just ultra-advanced imaging, " he ridiculed her, and continued, "Ah, poor you. You don't even have a mom, because your mom isn't your mom. "Now you know that she's dead! You killed her. You shot her down when she was in one of the vessels, as you don't have your telepathic ability yet."
Tiara couldn't believe what she had heard. Although she realized that it was not impossible, when she was younger, her ability was less advanced. "You're just making it up. I couldn't have shot my mom. I couldn't have," she said over and over again frantically.
Jun laughed hard as he wheeled out of the room." See you at the torture table. I will have all your powers and be the Ruler."
"I will never let you have my power. never! You'll see Jun, you'll see." She was outraged to think that Jun will rule.
"What if what he said is true? How many good people have I killed for them, including my mom." She paused to remember something. Suddenly she remembered the day of the incident. She couldn't feel the touch of her mom, but she could feel Ryoma's hand on her shoulders. "God, does it mean that all he said was true?"
Never giving up
In the new place, Tomo never gave up looking for Tiara. Somehow he felt deep within, that Tiara is alive.
He thought that if he were in Tiara's place, she would never stop looking for him.
From time to time, Tomo used the ball to try and communicate, but with no result.
Until one day he realized why he could not contact Tiara. He abruptly. called Dave.
"I think I know the reason, we cannot contact Tiara," Tomo said. Then he continued, "If she were held captive, then she would be in a hidden place. She could be held in a cave or some sort of a basement."
"Is there a basement in the Place?" Dave asked.
"Not that I know, but knowing how cunning those two are, there could be a possibility that there's a basement that we don't know of.
"Right. We both came here about a year after Ryoma and Jun. And recruited after 2 years of being in The Place. So who knows what they have been up to, all this time?
"Let's check it out." Said Tomo.
They both prepared to fly back to The Place.
They almost reached The Place, when they heard a cry, anguish, desperate cry. Then, it happened. It was like the first time they experienced the blast. It was when Tiara blew up the attacker's vessel, and everything was in debris.
Minutes before the blast, Tiara was so agitated that her powers quadrupled as she shrieked and cried, out of her dispirited feelings.
In an instant, there was a blast, walls crumbled, and the chains melted. So did Jun's wheelchair.
Jun fell headlong and was helpless. He never knew and never expected that Tiara could have such powerful powers. Nor did Tiara herself.
She saw everything destroyed in just seconds. The rubble even hit her hard. with objects and debris surrounding her. She was so despondent and desperate that she didn't know how to stop, and she didn't care. She was just too rueful to think that she killed her beloved mother.
In the end, as her strength weakened, she fell to the ground. The sound of rumbles and the typhoon-like wind begins to fade. She just sat there. She didn't even feel the pain. Blood dripped from her forehead. She tried to move, but she could only move slowly. She began to feel the pain again in her right leg, in which the steel had punctured her thigh. then she noticed blood flowing from the pierced thigh. She tried to stitch it again, then she rummaged for something that she could use as a walking stick. She finally found a big piece of iron and used it to help her walk. She went to where Jun was last seen by her.
He was under the rubble. His arms covered his head. Tiara knew that it was the end of Jun. She continued to walk, but there was nothing. No traces of livelihood that she could find. No trees, not even grass or weeds. Ravaged land was all she could see.
She felt empty, she felt nothing. As if the wind had taken her spirit of living. She tried to pull herself out of her sadness and with limited strength, she eventually passed out.
As both got out of the vessel, clouds of dust covered The Place. They saw Jun on the ground. They checked his pulse. There was none. Jun is dead.
They were too excited to see Tiara alive, that they were not really aware of what was really happening.
Tiara was quickly carried by the vessel, while they waited for the next vessel to arrive since the emergency vessel can only hold two persons. The next person to be found was Nino. and Jun. They were quite far from Tiara, but they were close to each other. Jun was dead but Nino was alive but in a very weak condition.
You are with me
Tomo went straight to the hospital, but Tiara was still asleep.
For Tiara, when she woke up, It was evening. There were no stars or planets to see. Not even the sound of a cricket. She woke up to total tranquility, total emptiness, and almost total darkness since there was a small lamp on her bedside. She realized she was all alone, somewhere in the universe. She couldn't pinpoint where she was but knew that it was not the earth, and it was not The Place.
She just sat there, not even thinking, not even trying to think. She also didn't feel anything, neither hunger nor thirst. Neither sad nor happy. She was just like blank paper. Empty... Then she fell into an unconscious state.
Sometime later, she heard a beeping sound. It was very close to her. She raised her head, but a hand softly pushed her head back, and a voice could be heard saying, "hush child, stay rested. You are safe. You are with us now". She felt at peace. But .. she immediately try to open her eyes, as she did not recognize the voice.
"Who is there?
"It's me, nurse Teri."
Tears started to wet Tiara's cheeks.
"Am I alive ?"
"Where am I?"
"You're at the hospital."
"Wait, there are things I want to ask you," Tiara said as she felt the nurse move further.
" You will have your answers. But for now, rest child. You really need to rest. We will see each other again."
"Don't go," she cried in anguish. "Don't leave me"...
"I'm not going to leave you." She felt it was Tomo's voice, but how could it be?"
Everything went black. Not a thing to be seen. Tiara found herself alone. Nowhere. It's like she just found herself in a black tunnel. But as she tried to get up and walk. her hands desperately grappling to her side, trying to reach anything, anything solid. But there was nothing.
She moved sideways so she could reach something, a wall, or anything, but still, she can't feel anything. Just air. Empty air.
It was when she tried to take another step, she felt the ground move. She felt she was falling. She tried to halt the fall, but it was in vain. She fell and fell, spiraling into a bottomless black hole.
For Tiara, it felt like it went on forever until it came to a stop.
She couldn't move. As if her wrist was tied.
She heard a voice saying, "Stop moving. You will get hurt more."
Tiara tried to open her eyes, but it was extremely heavy, so she decided to ease herself, remembering the voice that told her to take a rest. And rest she did.
She didn't know the time. She didn't know the date. She woke up in a light blue room. She didn't see any lights or windows, but the room is bright. Too bright for her. It even makes It hard for Tiara to open her eyes. She felt for her hands, her legs. She knows she's intact.
She sighed a sigh of relief. After what happened with Jun. The destroyed place, her punctured leg, she doesn't know what to expect.
At least, knowing she can move and feel her own body parts, is a big relief.
She looked around the room. Nothing is familiar. Even as she scrutinized one object, she doesn't know what it is.
"What is that?" She asked herself. "Where am I? What place is this? Where could I be?" The questions keep whirling in her mind.
All of a sudden, one thing comes to mind. One most important thing.
"Tomo," she whispered.
"Nurse... Tomo," she said loudly.
Nobody answered. Everything seems to be still.
"Anyone?" She shouted.
Still, no answer, and not a single thing moved.
The new place
Her drowsiness engulfed her until she heard a familiar voice. It was Tomo's voice. "It couldn't be. It couldn't be real. She listened to the source of the voice. It was really Tomo's voice. Could it be that in her dream, what she thought was a nurse's voice was actually Tomo's?
"You are safe now. If you can open your eyes, you will know."
Tiara tried hard to open her eyes, but the light was too bright for her, who had spent time in total darkness.
Tomo can feel that Tiara was having difficulty because of the bright light. He dimmed it, and moments later, Tiara was able to see Tomo.
"Is that really you?" She asked.
"Yes, you are with us now in the new place."
Tiara sat up on the bed. She looked at her legs.
"There's nothing there. No scar. You are fully healed. All you need is rest. So you can sleep again now."
Tiara closed her eyes and slept, but not a restful sleep. She dreamt she was floating, and calling for her mom.
"Mom .... Mom....."